


Fourth Pass Historical Background

by Angylsmuse, Orithain, Rina9294



Series: Fourth Pass [1]
Category: Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, History, information
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-18
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-09-09 15:37:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8897524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angylsmuse/pseuds/Angylsmuse, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Orithain/pseuds/Orithain, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rina9294/pseuds/Rina9294
Summary: Background for our alternate Fourth Pass stories.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Each story is a standalone, with characters who recur as main or minor characters. They were written between 2000 and 2004 and only ever posted to our own yahoogroups mailing list before now.

When the volcanoes erupted and the colonists were forced to flee Landing, one group became separated from the others in the storm and finally made shore on the far western continent, thanks to a very strong ocean current. Finding the land hospitable and having no idea where they were in relation to the others, they decided to stay and establish holds. They spent most of the first Pass living in caves formed by fortunately extinct volcanoes and trying to survive, seeding the land with the Thread-eating grubs, which they’d had some of on their ship, between Falls. That Pass and the next were difficult for the colonists, but they survived and managed to prosper. 

As the northern dragons grew larger and ranged farther each generation, it was inevitable that they would discover the westerners, which occurred early in the second Interval. With communication re-established, they decided to stay on the continent they’d named Avylon, knowing that life would be much more pleasant with the aid of dragons during the next Pass.

After communication was re-established, many young people in Avylon were Searched and Impressed in the Northern Weyrs. Once Babalon was completed during the Second Interval, volunteers among the dragonriders moved to Avylon, including most of those originally Searched from the western continent, and established a new Weyr for the protection of the continent. The Weyr expanded during the ensuing Turns, allowing the people of Avalon to spread out over all the islands and larger land masses in the area and even spread up onto the northern mainland above them. 

More recently, toward the middle of 4P08, an illness began to spread across Avylon, later traced to a crafter who had been visiting a northern hall of his craft, where several children were ill of what to them was a common childhood illness. Unfortunately, it was virtually unknown in Avylon, and it struck with devastating force. Once the cause was determined, the northern healers were able to teach the westerners how to prepare the vaccine, and new cases tapered off. Little could be done for those who had already contracted the “chickenpox”, however, and the mortality rate was high.

Once the threat of the disease was over, life returned to normal for the survivors, but hardest hit was the Weyr since the disease affected dragons as well. Volunteers were sought from the northern weyrs to repopulate the decimated Weyr. The senior queen was one of those lost, and goldriders from some of the northern Weyrs were among those who transferred.

In 4P12, Babalon has five goldriders and ten fighting wings, which protect Avylon’s 25 holds. 


End file.
